Rotary printing press



Oct. 21, 1 4 E. w. WORTHINGTON ROTARY PRINTING PRESS s Sheets-Sheet 1 I Original Filed NOV. 14, 1940 INVENTOR 0 Wmm /R ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1947.

E., Wu WORTHINGTON ROTARY PRINTING PRESS ori inal Filed Nov. 14, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTY E. W. WORTHINGTON ROTARY PRINTING PRES S.

Original Filed Nov. 14, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3' ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, 1947 ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Emory W. Worthington, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Goss Printing Press Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Original application November 14, 1940, Serial No. 365,575. Divided and this application December 16, 1942, Serial No. 469,162

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to novel and improved inking mechanism particularly adapted for use with high speed rotary printing presses.

The present application is a division of my copending prior application Serial No. 365,575, filed N ovember 14, 1940.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig, 1 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view of a typical and illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified form of roller mounting in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a central fragmentary sectional view of the bearings which may be used in connection with the inking roller;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, with certain parts broken away, of a further form of inkin roller in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a modified embodiment of the invention as applied to the inking of a rotary newspaper press; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the fountain and ink supplying and controlling rollers shown in Fig. 5.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel and. improved inking system particularly adapted for use with high speed rotary printing presses. Still another object of the invention is the provision of an inking mechanism which requires only a small amount of power for its operation and in which the ink is supplied continuously from the fountain roller to the plate cylinder under accurate control without the excessive friction of those parts customarily bearing against the fountain rollers. Still another object is the provisionof an improved roller to receive ink from a fountain roller, and

also the provision of improved bearing and mounting means therefor, so that the roller may be of relatively small diameter and of light weight construction and at the same time be securely mounted for rotation without excessive deflection.

In accordance with the present invention and the illustrative embodiment, a fountain roller is slowly rotated in a fountain partially filled with ink to be supplied to the plate cylinder of a rotary printing press. Cooperating with the fountain roller butout of contact therewith is a roller for receiving ink from the surface of the fountain roller and transmitting it to the ink distributing and form inking rollers and drums. The receiving roller also serves to accurately control the amount of ink fed to the distributing drums and inking rollers as well as to reduce the rate at which ink is fed so that a thin uniform film of ink may be maintained on the distributing drums and the form inking rollers notwithstanding the unusually thick film of ink which is picked up from the fountain by the fountain roller.

The roller for receiving ink from the fountain rollerconsists of a roller rotating at substantiallyrthe surface speed of the plate on the plate cylinder and if desired may be driven by frictional engagement with an inking roller which is driven frictionally from one of the ink distributing drums, but is preferably driven by gearing from the fountain roller or one of the ink drums. The surface of this roller capable of transferring ink is preferably greatly reduced and may comprise one or more relatively narrow helical ribs or bands raised above the surface of the roller, only the upper portion of these bands serving to contact with the inkin roller and with the ink on the fountain roller and thereby to transfer ink to the ink distributing system.

The roller receiving ink from the fountain roller and having reduced peripheral surface may be lightly and substantially formed of a plurality of hollow cylindrical shells, each shell being preferably of substantially a page width. The shells are suitably reinforced for strength and bearing means are provided at the ends of each shell.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well, are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings showing a typical and illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the invention is shown as applied to a high speed rotary newspaper press. The ink fountain comprises a trough l extending from one side frame of the press to the other, in which is suitably journalled a fountain roller ll driven at a slow rate from the press so that its speed is proportional thereto. Means are provided for removing excess ink from the surface of the rotating fountain roller II to maintain constant the amount of ink thereon and the thickness of the film of ink on the fountain roller. As embodied, there is provided a flexible blade l2 which extends the length of the fountain roller II and is positioned to extend towards the roller above the surface of the ink in the fountain and on the side of the roller which is moving upwardly. This blade I2 is mounted on a support l3 extending from'one of the fountain ends to the other and secured thereto, and adjusting screws I4, preferably one for each column width of the roller are provided to contact with the upper surface of the blade l2 near its free edge and adjacent to the roller and press it towards the roller against the normal resiliency of the blade tending to move the blade away from the roller.

For receiving ink from the surface of the fountain roller II and transferring it to the ink distributing system a roller' having a reduced peripheral surface is provided and is positioned for free rotation out of contact with the fountain roller but at a fixed minute distance therefrom. This roller may have a continuous surface in the form of a narrow raised helical stripe, or it may comprise a plurality of elements raised above its surface, and is preferably variably positionable with respect to the fountain roller so as to vary the space between the surface of the raised helical ribs and the surface of the fountain-roller, thereby varying the decree of immersion of these ribs in the film of ink carried by the rotating fountain roller.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4,'the helically ribbed transfer roller 20 is mounted for rotation by means of bearings at its shaft ends. Roller 20 is provided with a shaft 2|, the ends of which are rotatably supported in ball bearings 22,

The ink transferring roller 20 is positioned for free rotation out of contact with fountain roller H but at a fixed minute distance therefrom. Variable spacing means are illustrated in Fig. 2 in which the proper spacing of the transfer roller 20 from the fountain roller II is accomplished by means of shims, and for this purpose the roller 20 is mounted by means of the shaft 2| in pivoted frame members 50. Each of the frame members 50 is pivoted on a shaft 5| extending longitudinally of the fountain and supported by lugs 52 projecting from the blade supporting-member I3, while at the forward ends these frame members 50 are apertured to receive a cap screw 55 threaded into the forward edge 56 of the fountain and spaced therefrom by means of the shims 51. By varying the thickness of the shims between the forward end of the frame members 50 and the fountain edge 56, the correct spacing of the roller 26 from the fountain roller H is accomplished, and once the proper spacing has been ascentained, it need not be variedfor a constant quality of ink and throughout wide variations in the setting of the blade l2.

The roller of Fig. 4 is shown as formed of a plurality of hollow, alined sections 35 mounted by their plugs 38 on the shaft 2| and provided with a central bearing 40 which is secured to the shaft 2| by means of the taper collar 42 so thatthe bearing is seatediin the cylindrical portion 43 of the central support 44. The ends of the sections 35 preferably project over the ends of the cylindrical portion 43 to reduce the gap between the sections 35.

As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the various alined sections of the fountain roller 20 may be independently rotatable and their shafts 2| do not extend from one roller section into another roller section, and separate ball bearings 60 are provided for each roller section between the roller sections. Preferably, the ends 6| of shafts 2| are reduced and may be slid in and out of the inner race of their bearings 60 to facilitate removalof one or more individual roller sections, and as these roller sections are preferably of page width, the removal of any particular roller section silences theinkingmechanism for that portion of the printing press. The roller 20 preferably has the helical ribs 36 oppositely inclined at opposite ends of the roller so that ink will not build up at an end of the fountain.

It may be seen that the roller 20 has a relatively light-weight construction in order to require a minimum of power for its rotation, and is also of relatively small diameter, whereby the press may be proportionately lower than if a large diameter roller were used. At the same time the bearing and mounting means for theroller are so constructed that there is no excessive deflection of the roller in operation.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the inking mechanism of the present invention may conveniently be provided with page cut-off means to prevent the feeding of ink to any page width of the ink distributing drums, and :for this purpose blades 10, each a page in width, are mounted on individual arms H which are pivotally mounted on pivots 12 near the rear edge of the fountain Ill. Each of these arms is slotted as at 13 to receive the supporting head-l4 of a thumb screw 75 threaded into the blade supports 16 and provided with a lock nut 11. In the raised position as shownthe blade 10 -doesinot interfere with the normal supply of ink =tothe -press,'but as these blades are lowered into contact with the ink on the surface of the roller H, the thin filmof ink on this roller is reduced so'that it is "not sufficiently thick to transfer to the ribs on roller 20. This apparatus is morefully illustrated and described in U. S. PatentNo 2,253,158.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form'of transfer roller for applying interrupted patches of ink from the fountainroll H to the transfer roller 80, as distinguished from the narrow but continuous stripe of ink applied by the rollers of Fig. 4. As embodied, roller 20 is formed with raised longitudinal portions :91, which extend from one-end of'the roller to the-other, and are separated from each other by the intervening portions 98'of reduced diameter. The difference in diameterbetween the portions 91 and 98 is sufiicient to insure that the reducedportions 98 do not contact with-the film :of'ink on the fountain roller I I, 'at'the same time insuring good contact between the portions 91 and that film of ink. Thus, longitudinal stripes or patches of ink are picked up'by the surface of the transfer roller 20 and are transferred to the faster moving surface of the transfer roller 80, thereby supplying ink to the roller80 and the upper portion of the inking mechanism once every several revolutions of the transfer roller 80.

Means are preferably provided for rotatingthe fountain roller H, the transfer roller 20' and the drum contacting transfer .roller at predetermined relative speeds.

Transfer roller 20' and fountain roller I! are preferably geared together and, if desired, may be geared to the transfer roller 80 in frictional contact with the press driven ink distributing drum, and separate positive driving means are provided for rotating the fountain roller 1 l at its normal slow speed. Preferably, the fountain roller I i is driven from the unit drive shaft of the press by gearing (not shown). Roller 20 as shown in Fig. 6 may also be driven by gearing in the manner above described.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, the printing couple comprises an impression cylinder 82 and a plate cylinder 83 between which passes the web W to be printed. Ink distributing drums 84 and 85 are geared to cylinder 88 to be driven thereby, and the form inking rollers 85, the transfer rollers 87 and the distributing rollers 88 are driven by frictional engagement with these various members, all in the conventional manner. Transfer roller 88 is preferably made of resilient material, like the other transfer and distributing rollers 86, 8'5 and 88, and roller 80 bears against the distributing drum 85 with considerable pressure. At one end, roller 80 is provided with a pinion 90 which meshes with a double faced gear 9| driving the gear 92 on the end of the shaft or transfer roller 20', and this gear 92 also meshes with the double faced gear 94 driving gear 95 on the end of the fountain roller shaft so that the fountain roller ll, which is driven at a very low speed by the ress, drives the transfer roller 20' at an intermediate speed, and the transfer roller 80 is driven faster and at the same surface speed as the distributing drum 85, thereby gradually and continuously thinning the film of ink as it is transferred to faster running rollers and finally to the distributing drum for thorough distribution and eventual application to the plates on printing cylinder 83.

As is usual with rotary ink distributing mechanisms, various of the ink rollers 86, 81, 88 and the inking drums 84 and 85 are reciprocated or vibrated during their rotation so that the ink is not only evenly distributed circumferentially of these various rotary members, but is also evenly distributed axially of these members, and Whether the ink is applied in circumferentially interrupted patches or stripes, or is applied in a helical stripe, it will be uniformly mixed and distributed on the form rollers 86 for application to the printing plates by the time the ink has reached that point in the inking system. Also the speed of the fountain roller is greatly less than the speed of the web W, while the speed of the intermediate inking 5 The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. In an inking mechanism for a plural page width rotary printing press a fountain roller extending the width of the press, an upper inking roller and an intermediate transfer roller parallel to the fountain roller and said upper inking roller to transfer ink from the fountain roller to said upper inking roller, said intermediate transfer roller being formed of a plurality of closely adjacent longitudinal sections, shaft means rotatably supporting said sections in axial alinement, said sections being recessed at their adjacent ends and shaft supporting means including a frame member extending between adjacent ends of said roller sections and bearing means within the end recesses of said sections whereby the gap between said sections is materially reduced.

2. An inking mechanism according to claim 1 in which said intermediate transfer roller is formed with raised, ribs on its surface and contacts with said upper inking roller.

ElVIORY W. WORTHINGTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 330,278 Wilson Nov. 10, 1885 1,175,284 Miller Mar. 14, 1916 1,207,259 Wood Dec. 5, 1916 1,444,053 Beebe Feb. 6, 1923 1,643,799 Bechman Sept. 27, 1927 1,756,200 Kaufman Apr. 29, 1930 1,995,701 Buttner Mar. 26, 1935 2,120,845 Wood June 14, 1938 2,201,942 Blomgnen May 21, 1940 96,480 Phelps Nov. 2, 1869 1,840,343 Wood Jan. 12, 1932 581,201 Haddon et al. Apr. 20, 1897 1,890,922 Waller Dec. 13, 1932 2,356,010 Seymour l- Aug. 15, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 661,484 France Oct. 4, 1928 7,755 Great Britain May 25, 1915 

